Is it illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day and what are the origins behind the rumoured ‘law’?

The tradition harks back to the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when he sought to tackle gluttony in England

By Becky Pemberton

25th December 2017, 8:52 am

Updated: 25th December 2017, 8:53 am

THOUSANDS of people happily tuck into their mince pies on Christmas Day as part of their festive traditions.

But did you know that some people think that it is illegal to eat mince pies on the big day? Here's the lowdown...

Getty - Contributor

Many people happily tuck into their mince pies on Christmas Day, but should they think twice?

Where did the banning mince pies on Christmas Day come from?

It has been claimed that eating the snack is illegal in England, if undertaken on Christmas Day. The tradition comes from the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when mince pies were banned at Christmas, along with other tasty treats.

He wanted to tackle gluttony in England and he also argued that Christmas contained too many superstitions of the Roman Catholic Church, which he hated.

The Christmas bans in 1657 didn’t go down well, causing outrage known as the Plum Pudding Riots in the Kent city in 1658.

Cromwell ended up having to send 3,000 soldiers from The Westgate Towers to break down the city gates and enforce the ban.

Getty - Contributor

The myth comes from the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when mince pies were banned at Christmas

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